All-America candidate takes over the starting job at tailback in 2000 following the loss of Lloyd Clemons . . . picked up 50 yards on only three carries in the Green-White spring game, including a 7-yard touchdown run . . . ranks among the nation's top 15 running backs according to Lindy's (No. 8) and The Sporting News (No. 14) . . . preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection by Street & Smith's and Lindy's . . . preseason second-team All-Big Ten pick by The Sporting News . . .

AS A FRESHMAN: Second-team Freshman All-America selection by The Sporting News in 1999 . . . shared MSU's Outstanding Underclass Back Award with wide receiver Plaxico Burress and cornerback Renaldo Hill . . . appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman and played 149 minutes . . . started the season working at both linebacker and tailback, but was used exclusively at tailback during the second half of the year . . . used primarily in short-yardage and goal-line situations early in the season . . . ranked as the team's second-leading rusher with 606 yards on 118 carries (5.1 avg.) . . . scored 10 of the team's 12 rushing touchdowns . . . tied for fourth in the Big Ten in rushing TDs . . . became a key offensive weapon down the stretch, averaging 78.4 yards rushing over the last five games . . . gained 77 yards on 14 attempts vs. Florida in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl . . . named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a season-high 159 yards (22 carries) and four TDs vs. Penn State . . . his 11-yard TD run with 2:30 left gave the Spartans a 35-28 victory over the 13th-ranked Nittany Lions . . . picked up 91 yards on 10 rushes vs. Wisconsin, including a 53-yard TD run, to earn Spartan Offensive Player of the Week honors . . . his first multiple-TD game came vs. Illinois, scoring on runs of 2 and 6 yards . . . rushed for 83 yards on eight carries vs. Eastern Michigan, including a 4-yard TD run . . . had two receptions for 32 yards (16.0 avg.) . . . credited with 10 tackles (7 solos, 3 assists) and a pass break-up . . . had a season-high five stops (2-3) vs. Eastern Michigan . . .

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Consensus prep All-American . . . named Parade Magazine and Rivalnet National Player of the Year . . . selected Defensive Player of the Year by PrepStar, SuperPrep and Rivalnet . . . ranked among the nation's top five players by nearly every recruiting publication, including No. 1 by Rivalnet, No. 2 by The National Recruiting Advisor, No. 2 by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report and No. 5 by SuperPrep . . . rated the state's top prospect by the Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News and Lansing State Journal . . . the Midwest's top-ranked player recorded 102 tackles (63 solos, 39 assists), including nine sacks, and forced four fumbles in 1998 . . . rushed for 1,623 yards (11.2 avg.) and scored 21 touchdowns as a senior . . . also threw for 808 yards and nine TDs in '98 . . . three-year, two-way starter for Coach Dob Drake at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo, Mich. . . . had 140 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions as a junior . . . accounted for 2,080 total yards and 20 scores in '97 . . . compiled a 23-6 record (.793) as a three-year starter at quarterback . . . two-time state Class A shot-put champion . . . holds the state record in the shot put at 64-7 . . . member of the 400 relay team, with a personal-best time of 10.9 in the 100 . . . graduated from high school with a 3.2 grade-point average . . . runs 4.45 in the 40 . . . bench presses 505 pounds . . . brother Tico (1989-92) ranks as Michigan State's second-leading all-time rusher with 4,212 career yards . . . wears No. 8 as the sum of the digits in his older brother Tico's No. 35 . . . born Feb. 17, 1981.